Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Bend public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
18 issues in roads
Eminent domain for Reed Market Bridge Project
The city locked in $32.3 million in federal money to finish design and construction of the Reed Market Bridge over the BNSF railroad tracks — a GO Bond project easing east-west travel.
Sunday dial-a-ride cut for disabled riders
Cascades East Transit canceled Sunday dial-a-ride in September over budget shortfalls, stranding disabled riders who use it for church and jobs. Joyce Nichols asked the city to fund roughly $2,000 per Sunday to restore it.
Olney Avenue/8th Street intersection redesign
The intersection fails for six hours a day and traffic is growing. Staff recommend a $3.4 million partial multilane roundabout over a $5 million signal rebuild; a council majority agreed despite safety objections from Councilors Méndez and Franzosa.
GO bond unallocated funds prioritization
About $28 million in leftover GO bond money needs a project list, and council is sending the question to TMAC. Early favorites: $8-10 million toward the Highway 20/US 97 connection, extending the Neighborhood Street Safety Program, and cheaper options for Boyd Acres Road.
Greenwood Avenue quick-build results
A year of data shows the Greenwood quick-build is working as designed: slower speeds, more people walking and biking, and about 8-10 seconds of added drive time. Staff won't collect more data until the Franklin Avenue and Hawthorne Bridge projects reshape traffic.
Bond/Reed Market roundabout and SDC list
The council added the Bond/Reed Market roundabout widening to the SDC project list and hired HDR for design, moving the safety project up a couple of years.
Street preservation and capital projects update
Four contracts totaling about $4.34 million will treat 77 lane miles — paving, chip seal, micro seal, and slurry — keeping Bend's pavement score around 76 as asphalt costs jump 20 percent.
Midtown/Franklin Avenue streetscaping
The final Franklin Avenue phase means closing the undercrossing twice — mid-September through mid-November 2026, and January through roughly May 2027 — with Greenwood as the main detour. Holidays and summer stay open after downtown businesses asked for it, at a cost of roughly $100,000–$125,000 to the project.
Roundabout policy review request
Councilor Franzosa asked TMAC to review Bend's roundabout policy against accessibility and safety goals; the Mayor preferred starting with the council's standards-and-specs discussion instead, with a timeline update expected next meeting.
Bend Bikeway expansion
Bend's VEO bike share has logged 45,000 trips and 75,000 miles, and two new mobility hubs are planned at SE Third/Norton and Robal Road using a carbon reduction grant — plus a bigger CET hub at Cascade Village.
Aune Safety and Connectivity eminent domain
Council pre-authorized eminent domain for parts of up to 12 parcels so the project — four intersection upgrades, a shared-use path, and Second Street sidewalks — isn't delayed if talks with owners fail. Condemnation would be a last resort.
Neff Road corridor eminent domain
The council authorized eminent domain over up to 15 Neff Road parcels to keep the 10-foot multi-use path project on schedule.
Transit fares and ridership
CET brought back fares in February and ridership dropped — about half on some routes. The upside: expanded dial-a-ride service areas in northeast and southeast Bend and Deschutes River Woods, and new route efficiencies to get 15-minute service on busy corridors without new funding.
Franklin Avenue eminent domain
The city authorized eminent domain as a last resort for portions of up to three parcels — including Safeway and a carpet store — needed for the Franklin Avenue streetscape project. Negotiations with owners continue first.
Transportation Safety Action Plan update
Bend averages 3–5 fatal crashes a year, mostly on bigger roads like the Franklin corridor. The updated safety plan will use crash data to target improvements and guide safety messaging, with a draft expected for adoption in about a year.
15th and Ferguson Roundabout right-of-way
The city needs slivers of up to five parcels — including Nottingham subdivision common area — to fix the notoriously dangerous 15th/Ferguson intersection. The eminent domain authorization is a legal backstop; the city says it almost never actually condemns property. The roundabout matters as a detour route during upcoming Reed Market rail-bridge construction.
Hawthorne Overcrossing Design and Funding
The pedestrian bridge over the railroad near Hawthorne Avenue is funded mostly by $32 million in state and federal grants that must be used at this location. The favored 'promenade street' design would calm traffic, and a people street and park under the bridge are being explored — but budget questions remain for the May-June Council meeting.
Butler Market/Boyd Acres intersection and eminent domain
To build a fully protected, safer intersection for the Bend Bikeway project, the city may need to condemn portions of up to four parcels at Butler Market and Boyd Acres. Council authorized eminent domain as a fallback if negotiations fail, keeping the project on schedule to bid this summer.